Forgive Me My Friend
by The Darkness Knight
Summary: One shot leading to eventual novel. Parallel with DAII Act 3, Alistair has drank himself into The Hanged Man after being betrayed his friend Ryan Cousland, the Hero of Feralden, now ten years later, when time has pulled them apart, will their friendship be repaired or will it be left in the flames of the Blight's destruction? No slash just bromance.


**This is something I wanted to do for awhile, this one shot will lead into a full story I'm going to do with my own Grey Warden, I'm going to recap my decisions for the game. This is basically what will be the inevitable end to the story. I hope everyone enjoys and I cannot wait to see what people think. **

**Forgive Me My Friend**

His feet moved him through the streets of Kirkwall, he had no guards, no mercenaries to keep him protected from the people stuck in the chaos of the aftermath with the Qunari, all he had was his sword which was attached to his hip and his trusted Mubari warhound Sirius happily walking beside his master.

Some gave him looks, others just blew him off as another drifter, and that was the idea, he was supposed to look like someone who had just come to the city, with the light fur and leather covered armor encasing his body, a black cloak trailed behind him and a hood covered his face, he didn't want anyone to see him, see who he really was underneath the cloak.

For months he had been tracking down a certain target, call it his instinct keeping himself in check or maybe it was instinct but something told him that his target would blow in Kirkwall's poor district also known as Lowtown, to a specific location called the Hanged Man, a bar and information spot for the locals to enjoy and that was where his contact was located.

As he opened the door, a thousand eyes watched him as he proceeded inside the main floor, Sirius growling beside him which caused the people to turn and return to their usual drunken banter, dancing, singing and enjoying themselves, he had to realize one thing as he proceeded forward, Kirkwall was no Denerim.

As he approached the counter, another man walked up to him and whispered "He's in the back, you can't hear him right now because of everything going on."

He turned and nodded to the red haired man beside him, his contact who had been in Kirkwall for a few months "Thank you Teagan."

The hooded figure stood and walked to the back to a man sitting in the back booth yelling and drinking, his stomach hanging over his belt, eyes bloodshot, blonde hair graying and matted and his beard was thick "I am the king of Feralden! I am the king of Feralden!" He cried as his head rolled back with a drunken laugh as the hooded figure sat across from him "Who the hell are you? Don't you know who I am?"

"You are Alistair Theirin, son to Maric Theirin and an unnamed maid working the former king, Grey Warden, brother to Goldanna and a friend to most, enemy to others and a son to some as well."

"And how would you know that?" Alistair burped as he slapped the wooden table for another bottle

"I would know that because like you, I'm also marked by our past." He lowered down his hood, exposing his frail skin, emerald green eyes, brown hair and light scruff beard

"Hey…I think…I think I know you." Alistair tried to shake the drunken state out and then he leaned back "You look like my old best back stabbing friend Ryan Cousland."

He nodded "That's because I am him Alistair, it's been far too long."

"How could you do that to me? We were brothers! We were going to defeat the Arch demon together! Then you took everything away from me, kept that monster alive."

Ryan nodded in response, he knew just how difficult it was for those decisions at the Landsmeet to happen as they did, but he knew they had to be done…as he always told himself, it was for the good of Feralden.

* * *

"_First you want to make Loghain a Grey Warden, now you want to marry Anora?" Alistair growled at him_

_Ryan Cousland nodded in response, his commander armor was stained with fresh blood from the battle before facing Loghain Mac Tier, but he knew it had to be done, for the good of Feralden._

"_Alistair, think about it, you never wanted the throne anyway, I thought you would be happier working as a Warden?"_

"_Not if it means I have to work alongside him!" Alistair pointed at Loghain, his father's former best friend_

"_Enough!" Arl Eamon roared "We don't have time for this, the Blight must be dealt with. Warden, we need a decision." _

"_Then it's decided, I will marry Anora and take the throne." Ryan nodded to Anora_

"_Alistair, so by then there is no quarrel, you must give up your rights to the throne for you and your heirs and ensure there are to be no rebellions risen in your name."_

"_Yes, fine, fine whatever." _

"_Guards, kill him." Anora scoffed_

_As the guards moved in, Ryan drew his sword and stood in front of them and Alistair "Anora, you said I was to be given a boon and I'm asking for it now, spare his life, let Alistair go." He pleaded_

"_You would spare the man who could take the throne from you?"_

"_He's my friend."_

"_Was your friend." Alistair snapped behind him, causing Ryan to turn to be met with a fist to his face_

"_I'm done being everyone's walking mat. I am out of here." Alistair charged for the door "If your men try to capture me, I'll kill them." _

* * *

"If I had any idea what the throne being taken away from you would do to you Alistair I would have never taken it." Ryan replied as he took a sip from his goblet

"You stabbed me in the back, you told me we were brothers. Just leave me be spirit."

Ryan stood and growled "You know, I have been waiting to do this for ten years." He slammed a fist into Alistair's face "Snap out of it!"

He felt his vision spin and then regain control as he realized it wasn't a ghost "You're really here? Why?"

"I had to see you Alistair. I had to ask you a question. Please forgive me my friend."

"Why?"

"Because I was an idiot. I was a fool to do what I did to you." Ryan leaned back in his chair "I am asking you not to think that things can change in an instant, but maybe we can start over. I need you to get out of here."

"Why? Kirkwall's my home now, I'm the king of this chair."

"Because a war is going to happen, a war that is going to decide the fate of Thedas, not to mention Eamon is worried about you."

"Eamon? Why?"

"Because he cared about you Alistair, and he has something to tell you." He leaned in close "He knows who your mother really is."

"Who?"

"It's not my place to say." Ryan stood "I have to leave."

"What about Anora?"

"Don't worry about her, she…Anora's great, but she's…let's just say she's no Morrigan."

"She's the reason you survived." Alistair realized, looking at the black ring with blue lyrium encrusted in the metal around his neck "You still love her don't you?"

"Used to Alistair, used to love her." Ryan looked down at the ring "I killed her."

Alistair nearly spit up his ale "So, the old frog witch is gone huh?"

He nodded and stood "Not my brightest moment, but it needed to be done for the good of Feralden."

"For the good of Feralden, is that why you're leaving?"

"I'm no good at being king, besides, I have another adventure to go on, and I'm not going to ask you to come with me."

"Why?"

"Because you have to do something for me." He placed a large pouch in front of him "Clean yourself up, become the man I know you are, and take your throne back."

Alistair looked at the pouch and opened it, revealing a large amount of gold coins, when he looked up, his friend was gone "I forgive you."


End file.
